USA Learns is a website designed to teach basic English skills to immigrants. Audio, video, test scores and more. The level is basic, but the technology is at least intermediate.
There's also a Spanish lesson track.
Monday, December 1, 2008
Friday, November 14, 2008
Privacy on Facebook
Here at the NAFSA meeting I’m attending a lot of sessions on technology in the educational workplace. Usually the first question for the Gen X presenting about Facebook/Twitter/Digby is from a Boomer sitting in the back who raises his hand to ask “but why?”.
One of the best responses was in an article here quoting Marian Salzman, a New York-based trendspotter:
There have also been news items this week about teachers in Charlotte, NC losing their jobs because of inappropriate Facebook postings. I’ve been alerted to check SJSU policies on faculty/staff social interactions with students so that we can clarify that line and the role of social networking.
One of the best responses was in an article here quoting Marian Salzman, a New York-based trendspotter:
We’re so much more public about posting everything now. We’ll post our breakups, our pictures. Privacy is now defined as something that’s in our hearts. We’ve redefined what’s private, so there’s less worry about what we post.Interesting.
There have also been news items this week about teachers in Charlotte, NC losing their jobs because of inappropriate Facebook postings. I’ve been alerted to check SJSU policies on faculty/staff social interactions with students so that we can clarify that line and the role of social networking.
A Vision of Students Today video
I’m in Honolulu this week at the Bi-regional NAFSA conference. NAFSA is the professional association for international educators that deals primarily with out-of-the-classroom issues such as immigration and visa regulations, student services, marketing, and legal responsibilities for all facets of international education. So, while it’s informative, it’s usually less inspiring than great TESOL or CATESOL presentations.
However, yesterday in a session about generational diversity, I saw a student-made video I want to share. A Vision of Students Today is about 4.5 minutes and sends a clear message in a creative format. Take a look and let me know what you think. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dGCJ46vyR9o
However, yesterday in a session about generational diversity, I saw a student-made video I want to share. A Vision of Students Today is about 4.5 minutes and sends a clear message in a creative format. Take a look and let me know what you think. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dGCJ46vyR9o
Tuesday, October 14, 2008
Free faculty development for Poster Sessions
Take advantage of this workshop to spiff up your poster session.
How to make a Poster for Conference Presentation Using PowerPoint and the Poster Output Service
Provided by SJSU Photographic Services
Fri. Oct 17
10:00 AM to 11:30 AM
IRC 210
Facilitated by Kathy Sucher, Faculty-in-Residence for ePortfolio, Professor, Nutrition and Food Science and Bob Bain, University Photographer, Academic Technology
How to make a Poster for Conference Presentation Using PowerPoint and the Poster Output Service
Provided by SJSU Photographic Services
Fri. Oct 17
10:00 AM to 11:30 AM
IRC 210
Facilitated by Kathy Sucher, Faculty-in-Residence for ePortfolio, Professor, Nutrition and Food Science and Bob Bain, University Photographer, Academic Technology
Tuesday, September 16, 2008
Europe's Learning Tribes
There was much analysis of the trends and topics in student mobility at the conference of the European Association of International Education I just attended in Antwerp. Europe is rapidly adopting English-language instruction in order to internationalize their campuses and to graduate globally marketable job candidates. The result is a greater number of international students and several research projects.
Researchers from I-Graduate in London conducted “the world’s largest ongoing study of international students” and presented their data on how students “differ less by nationality and more by personal expectations and aspirations”. Researchers Archer and Bush named the following “tribes”, characterized by motivation, behavior, influence and ambition.
15% are Surfers looking for fun and a life experience. They are risk-takers ready to try the new culture without committing to it.
Let’s play games and watch videos. I want to meet Americans.
22% are Seekers studying for a better job. They are under strong parental influence and feel a great obligation to their families’ futures.
Can we have more homework?
22% are Gekkos focusing on money, status, and recognition. They are demanding, hard to please, and may not share their parents’ values or follow their advice.
How is this lesson going to be useful to my future? Don’t waste my time.
27% are Bonos working for the greater good and a work/life balance. They are optimistic; they want to make a difference and value recognition over money.
How can I join a club on campus?
14% are Kids exuding unfocused enthusiasm and little maturity. They are generally, but not always, younger and may not be ready to make mature decisions. They haven’t decided what they want to do and are under parental influence.
Can I borrow a pen and paper? Oh, yeah, I forgot to bring my textbook, too.
Personally, I still believe that culturally based communication styles have a great bearing on our students’ classroom behavior, but I’ll have to admit we see each of these stereotypes in SAL classes. Although the names serve to summarize the types, they seem a bit disrespectful to me. I’d say we are already addressing the different demands and learning styles of each group at SAL, but it’s interesting to consider these survey results.
Researchers from I-Graduate in London conducted “the world’s largest ongoing study of international students” and presented their data on how students “differ less by nationality and more by personal expectations and aspirations”. Researchers Archer and Bush named the following “tribes”, characterized by motivation, behavior, influence and ambition.
15% are Surfers looking for fun and a life experience. They are risk-takers ready to try the new culture without committing to it.
Let’s play games and watch videos. I want to meet Americans.
22% are Seekers studying for a better job. They are under strong parental influence and feel a great obligation to their families’ futures.
Can we have more homework?
22% are Gekkos focusing on money, status, and recognition. They are demanding, hard to please, and may not share their parents’ values or follow their advice.
How is this lesson going to be useful to my future? Don’t waste my time.
27% are Bonos working for the greater good and a work/life balance. They are optimistic; they want to make a difference and value recognition over money.
How can I join a club on campus?
14% are Kids exuding unfocused enthusiasm and little maturity. They are generally, but not always, younger and may not be ready to make mature decisions. They haven’t decided what they want to do and are under parental influence.
Can I borrow a pen and paper? Oh, yeah, I forgot to bring my textbook, too.
Personally, I still believe that culturally based communication styles have a great bearing on our students’ classroom behavior, but I’ll have to admit we see each of these stereotypes in SAL classes. Although the names serve to summarize the types, they seem a bit disrespectful to me. I’d say we are already addressing the different demands and learning styles of each group at SAL, but it’s interesting to consider these survey results.
Tuesday, August 26, 2008
SAL STUDENT LENDING LIBRARY
Our dedicated classroom building gives us the opportunity to build a center for international teaching and learning. We have just added benches to the 'back lobby' to provide seating so it seemed natural to try to define this area as a 'reading room'.
Today we rolled the book cart out of storage and into the 'back lobby' to give our students access to free reading materials. The books have orange dots on the spines simply to signal that they are part of our open collection to be returned to the shelves.
Immediate student interest prompted Moe to post a temporary sign. I was thinking of posting something creative to tie reading to increased vocabulary and thus to higher TOEFL scores. Any ideas? We'll be trying a format of open lending - borrow, read, return - for now. Next step might be to ask students to note their recommendations in the front covers or on a clipboard.
Certainly you and students are welcome to add your used books (cookbooks? travel books? fiction? poetry?) to the shelves and to borrow freely from the collection.
Today we rolled the book cart out of storage and into the 'back lobby' to give our students access to free reading materials. The books have orange dots on the spines simply to signal that they are part of our open collection to be returned to the shelves.
Immediate student interest prompted Moe to post a temporary sign. I was thinking of posting something creative to tie reading to increased vocabulary and thus to higher TOEFL scores. Any ideas? We'll be trying a format of open lending - borrow, read, return - for now. Next step might be to ask students to note their recommendations in the front covers or on a clipboard.
Certainly you and students are welcome to add your used books (cookbooks? travel books? fiction? poetry?) to the shelves and to borrow freely from the collection.
Thursday, July 24, 2008
New equipment in 2nd Street. - PowerPoint Remote, Tablet PC
Hi all,
Thanks to Karen, recently we have two new equipment coming in 2nd street classroom building. The first one is PowerPoint remote control, which allows you to control the PowerPoint slides when you are not around the PC. This way you don't have to walk back to the PC everytime just to press the mouse button.
The second addition is a Tablet PC, allowing you to write on the screen and project the screen content to the big screen. You can write on your PowerPoint to stress your point, or just start doodling on the screen if you want to make it an art class. Ursula has been our pioneer and tried out the tablet in her writing class this summer, and she likes it a lot.
If you want to try the two device to see if you can use it in your class, please feel free to contact Moe at 2nd Street building
Thanks to Karen, recently we have two new equipment coming in 2nd street classroom building. The first one is PowerPoint remote control, which allows you to control the PowerPoint slides when you are not around the PC. This way you don't have to walk back to the PC everytime just to press the mouse button.
The second addition is a Tablet PC, allowing you to write on the screen and project the screen content to the big screen. You can write on your PowerPoint to stress your point, or just start doodling on the screen if you want to make it an art class. Ursula has been our pioneer and tried out the tablet in her writing class this summer, and she likes it a lot.
If you want to try the two device to see if you can use it in your class, please feel free to contact Moe at 2nd Street building
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